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Sexagenary cycle
The Chinese sexagenary cycle ( ) is a cyclic numeral system of 60 combinations of the two basic cycles, the ten Heavenly Stems (天干; tiāngān) and the twelve Earthly Branches (地支; dìzhī). This traditional Chinese calendrical system is used as a means of numbering days and years, not only in China but also in other East Asian nations like Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. The Sexagenary system is also important in Chinese astrology and Chinese fortune telling. Overview The cycle Awas used in China since the second millennium BC (it has been found on Shang dynasty oracle bones), as a means of naming days (just as we use the days in the week). This use of the cycle for days is attested throughout the Zhou dynasty. For instance, most entries in the Spring and Autumn Annals use this system. Its use for recording years is more recent. It became widespread in the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC- 8 AD), and might have begun in the late Warring States period. The year 1984 began the present cycle, and 2044 will begin another. In Japan, according to Nihon shoki, the calendar was transmitted to Japan in 553. But it was not until the Suiko era that the calendar was used for politics. The year 604, when the Japanese officially adopted the Chinese calendar, was the first year of the cycle. The calendar is calculated by combining the and . These two sets of terms were used to enumerate years of the civil calendar. Combining the series form a greater cycle of 60 terms, as the least common multiple of 10 and 12 is 60. The first term is formed by adding the first stem to the first branch, then the second stem to the second branch, and so on. If you start with , so the 61st year would also be kinoe-ne. This was how the tradition of celebrating began. This counting system employing things of nature and animals create many myths, and people of Japan today still consider the good and bad luck of certain days and years. Ten Heavenly Stems Twelve Earthly Branches *The names of several animals can be translated into English in several different ways. The Vietnamese Earthly Branches use Cat instead of Rabbit/Hare. Sexagenary Cycle ]] The sexagenary cycle was first used for days in the Shang Dynasty, and later also used for years and less commonly for months. For example, the year 2000 was 17th year of the 78th sexagenary cycle, a gēng-chén year (庚辰年), a year of the Yang Metal Dragon. Therefore, 2006 is 23rd year of the 78th sexagenary cycle, called a bǐng-xū year (丙戌年), a year of the Yang Fire Dog; 2007 a year of the Yin Fire Pig. The naming of the months and days is not common now, although they are shown on Chinese calendars and almanacs. *Attention: In common practice, the "combination" elements (Chinese agricultural calendar) should be applied for Sexagenary Cycle. Either "Heavenly Stem" or "Earthly Branche" alone is not enough to determine the element for any year within the 60 years of Sexagenary Cycle. ** The writing of "Yang Earth Rat"(e.g 2008), etc, should not be recommended for uses, because people might misinterpret "Earth" would be the "Element" of that year (2008). Relation to western calendar Below is the sexagenary cycle matched up to the Western calendar for the years 1804 - 2043, or four full 60 year cycles. 1804 - 1923 1924 - 2043 See also * Chinese calendar * Lunisolar calendar Category:Chinese calendars Category:Chinese astrology Category:Technical factors of astrology Category:Astrological signs Category:History of astrology Category:Classical elements de:Chinesisches Horoskop fr:Cycle sexagésimal zh-classical:干支 ko:육십간지 ms:Ganzhi ja:干支 sv:Sexagesimala cykeln th:แผนภูมิสวรรค์ uk:Шістдесятирічний цикл vi:Can Chi zh:干支